


Caged Bird

by littletechiebird



Category: DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-30
Updated: 2012-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-02 18:44:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/372148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littletechiebird/pseuds/littletechiebird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Request: "I know why the caged bird sings." - Maya Angelou (1928 - ), Quoting a lyric by Paul Laurence Dunbar</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caged Bird

The collision of his body, as well as his head, being slammed against the wall thudded loudly within his apartment. It made his head swim for some several moments, not that the hand on his neck that was trying with a decent effort to at least partially crush his windpipe - if only to help prove a point - was helping anything. 

Because, of course, that point could not be proven when he was allowed to properly breathe.

“I could have told you it would turn out like this, baby bird.”

His smile - if you could call it that - was dangerous. Just looking at it made a shiver run down his spine. Tim always knew that Jason was always unpredictable, and that alone about him always made him nervous. He could never figure out his plan - because he had come to the end result that there couldn’t be one, unless there was something he was still missing without knowing it. He supposed that was possible. 

“Did you even  _think_  about how our histories have turned out?”

The line of logic he was supposed to be following was easily eluding him, along with a proper supply of oxygen. He could only hope that Jason would be generous and play him for an idiot and further explain. Then again, in moments of proper thought, that was probably something Jason didn’t mind doing.

“First, Dicky bird gets under appreciated and runs off. ‘Cause, you know, nobody is ever good enough in this family - not even our original Boy Wonder.”

The jealousy was dripping in his tone like acid, though Tim was sure that if he had called him on it - had been  _able_ tocall him on it - Jason would have had a different word for it. 

“Then I get to come along, scooped up by good ol’ daddy bat. But whoops, I go and get blown the fuck up. So I guess we need a replacement, huh?” 

The grasp on his neck tightened, bringing a momentary, pained gasp before it was silenced. His hands were still grasping at Jason’s wrist, and he had to wonder why he hadn’t chosen one of the dozens of moves he had at his disposal to get out of this situation. Temporary insanity, maybe.

“Then  _you_ come along - so eager to play hero and trail after the big bad Batman like a lost puppy, all too ready to prove yourself as the  _perfect little soldier_.” 

The spite in his words stung, even through the haze of oxygen deprivation.

“What do you think makes you so special? You’re  _not._  You insisted you were so much better than me. If you were, then why did you get tossed aside just as easily?”

After what felt like an eternity of his throat and lungs burning down to every last nerve, and his head swimming in the deepest fog, the grip finally loosened and he was dropped. Tim’s hand instinctively went to his neck, tears leaking from his eyes as a mere bodily reaction to the deprivation - or so he told himself. He just coughed and let himself slump against the wall, shutting his eyes tightly, unable to look Jason in the eye.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Bruce, or Dick, baby bird.”  
  
Why was he even telling him these things? Why was he here? He didn’t want to hear it. He already knew. It didn’t matter.. He’d already lost everythingby now. The last thing he needed was Jason rubbing it in.

“After a while, no one is good enough anymore.

And you’re on your own.”

He could feel the eyes that were glaring down at him with judgement, but as he finally cracked his eyes open to look up to meet those eyes through the tears that still watered in his eyes, he felt like there was something else. It was like he was… waiting.

“So fucking  _get up_. 

Stand on your own feet and figure out what the hell you’re doing.

Because I’ll be damned if I was replaced by a weak-ass kid who can’t at least do that much.” 


End file.
